Launched in 2008 to a bold proclamation of being a fully open platform to rival Apple’s closed iPhone OS, Android now holds 31 per cent of the global smartphone market share, making it the market leader. This rapid rise to prominence has been suggested as being central to the new restrictions.

Google’s tightening of the reins has also followed on from frequent customer complaints about fragmentation issues across Andriod phones.

New controls are said to include ‘non-fragmentation clauses’ that prevent Android licensees from altering the platform excessively.